Everyone Remembers Their First Time…

Some people second guess their clothing choices, the location, and possibly the timing. Most people fear seeming that they don’t know anything. Sometimes, it is the first time getting to REALLY connect with one’s own body. The number one tip I can’t stress enough:

Everyone starts out as a beginner!

I remember my first time in a yoga class. I was nervous beyond reason because of my limited range of motion, and at the same time I had this warped concept of what I would be getting myself into. I thought it was going to be, as many yogis hear, “glorified stretching”. I didn’t anticipate extreme difficulty, but for some reason I was still apprehensive. In spite of my fears, I did it anyway.

I walked through the door with my $15 yoga mat snuggled up tightly by my side. There was an abundance of women around the same age as me, but with a lot less abundance of “fluff” around their bodies. Some of them had been practicing for a significant amount of time before coming to this class. Some had fancy yoga mats that I never knew existed. I felt like such an outsider, and I honestly felt a little disheartened as well.

BUT it was during the class itself that I began to understand what all the hype was about. My instructor, Kim {owner of The Yoga District} knew what my body needed after all the injuries I had sustained in my nearly fatal car accident. She was so thoughtful in the way she guided me through the practice. Even still, there were moments that I physically could not do what everyone else could do, and it was a little discouraging. Prior to my accident, I was able to do the splits and put my feet behind my head. In that class, I couldn’t even touch my toes!

{Flashback to one of my first yoga classes – DO NOT copy that form!}

In spite of my frustrations mid-practice, I realized by the end that my body hadn’t felt THAT good in a really, really long time. We can probably attribute my immediate infatuation to two factors:

I finally felt relaxation and the rush of endorphins from getting my body moving

My stubborness/determination in accomplishing those poses that weren’t accessible to me in that first practice

So, I invested in a quality yoga mat {side note: it is a future blog post in the making, but I HIGHLY recommend investing in a mat} and continued on my yoga journey until 9 months later I received my 200-hour RYT certification to teach yoga.

The reason why I tell you this long-ish story is to reiterate that EVERYONE starts as a beginner!

It is a very rare occasion that a person can do every pose with ease on their first few tries. In fact, I still wobble around and giggle when I find poses are unavailable to me. I want you to know that I understand your frustration. You likely compare yourself to someone in the room who seems to be effortlessly moving from one pose to the next. But that person has also likely been in the same boat at one point or another. It happens, whether it is your first or millionth time on the mat. We naturally want to compare ourselves to others. If you find yourself in that space of comparing, remember these tips:

Everyone starts out as a beginner! Find compassion for your body and appreciate the new ways you are getting acquainted with it

Comparison is a direct path out of the present moment. Use that moment instead to notice any sensations that are arising or put your ego in check

Your biggest accomplishment is getting on your mat, and everything else is just icing on top {unless you prefer something else to icing}

If you say “can’t” in a sentence, end it with “yet”. Don’t limit yourself with words. They really are powerful

Trust in the process. Every day will be different, and one day {maybe in a week or maybe in a year} you’ll accomplish things you never thought possible. And if you’ve made it this far, high five! You rock! Now go out there, send your body some gratitude and love, and be amazing! ❤